The vehicle, carrying air force personnel, had been travelling on the road leading to Sana’a international airport, which is adjacent to the base, a security official told AFP news agency.

The bomb - previously planted on the bus - exploded and killed the six military personnel immediately, according to a Yemeni official who spoke to Reuters. He said that the body part of the dead were blown out of the vehicle.

There are no further details on who could be responsible for the attack.

Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, widely regarded as the most dangerous offshoot of the Sunni militant group, have previous launched multiple attacks against Yemeni security forces.